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<title>Spring 1996 Oil Media Archive: GIA</title>
<h1>GIA</h1>
<hr> WARNING!  This is NOT the real world.  You have joined a simulation
of Middle Eastern diplomacy being conducted by students from the 
University of Texas at Austin and other universities in the USA 
and abroad. Welcome to our game! <hr>


<b>Douglas Jehl</b> (<a href="mailto:ponyt03@jeeves.la.utexas.edu"><i>ponyt03@jeeves.la.utexas.edu</i></a>)<br>
<i>Tue, 9 Apr 1996 13:19:20 -0500 (CDT)</i>
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Byline: Algerian Government says the GIA gives Islamics a Bad Reputation<br>
By: Douglas Jehl, NYT middle east correspondent<br>
<p>
The Algerian Prime Minister today issued a statement that the<br>
Algerian government represents "the voice of all Algerian citizens<br>
through fair and free elections, an this will be proved more by<br>
coming elections."<br>
<p>
Little progress seems to be made in Algeria between the government and the<br>
terrorist groups who are holding hostage several ambassadors, including<br>
the US.  Although there has been mounting pressure for the government to<br>
take an active stance by the US, the Algerian government refuses outside<br>
intervention fearing more trouble.  Afterall, the Armed Islamic Group<br>
(Dejamel Zitouni's GIA) has threatened the government to non-cooperation<br>
if it continues to have any assistance from Western powers.<br>
<p>
Compromise between the government and the terrorist group seem unlikely<br>
since one of the demands of the group is that the government step down and<br>
establish an Islamic rule.<br>
<p>
Claiming that it is God's will that the GIA replace the "current<br>
infidel government", they use the slogan to gain legitimacy and support<br>
from other Islamics.   It believes that it is acting in the name of<br>
Allah and that their actions should be supported by all Islamics.<br>
However, the Algerian government are ashamed of GIA's behavior and fear<br>
that the rest of the world will stereotype all Islamics as terrorists.<br>
They believe that the GIA is ruining and misrepresenting what Islam is all<br>
about.  Islam is "a merciful religion that always call for peace.  islam<br>
has always denied any violence or blood shedding."  Althought the GIA<br>
claims the current regime as not representative of the people, the people<br>
have voted for them, and maybe they believe that this government<br>
represents their Islamic interests best.<br>
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